Stargate - Universe, Atlantis, SG-1 http://stargate.mgm.com Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:06:53 -0800 MGM's official site for Stargate Universe (SGU), Stargate Atlantis (SGA) and Stargate SG1 en-us Copyright 1998-2009 All Rights Reserved Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios No Competition http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1990/index.html Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1990 Chelsea from Ontario asks:nbsp; Do you keep track of how many fans you guys have? Ever have friendly competitions for who has the most? Alaina Huffman answers:  Hahaha. There is really no competition with us!  We all have great relationships, and I feel like our success individually, helps us all as a group.  I am pretty sure we all feel that way.  :)

]]> SGU Trailer 1.5 http://stargate.mgm.com/view/content/2061/index.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-2061 Stargate Universe season 1 continues April 2 at 9/8c on Syfy! Stargate Universe season 1 continues April 2 at 9/8c on Syfy!

]]> Insanely Intelligent http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1989/index.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1989 Bill from Mount, UK asks:nbsp; Which race from all Stargate series is your favorite and why? David Blue answers:  I love the Asgard. Not only were they insanely intelligent and quite complimentary to us wacky, trouble-causing humans, but they also spoke in such a fashion that everything was insultingly hilarious.

]]> Robert Cooper Interview - Stargate Magazine #33 http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2016/index.html Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-2016 An interview with Robert Cooper as featured in issue #33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine. An interview with Robert Cooper as featured in issue #33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine.

Dr. Nicholas Rush looks through the microscope and examines the tiny droplets of water on the specimen slide. Frowning, the scientist sits back in his chair; clearly his findings are not good. He and Lt. Tamara Johansen explain to Colonel Everett Young that the ice brought back to the Destiny from a planet they recently visited is contaminated. Everyone, including the three of them, has been infected and unless a cure is found and soon, they are all going to die.

“Cut! That was great; let’s try it one more time,” says Stargate Universe co-creator/executive producer and on this episode, director, Robert C. Cooper.

Although he loves writing and, of course, producing, it is obvious from the look on his face and enthusiasm in his voice, that Cooper equally enjoys his work behind the camera as a director.


Experience Applied

Stargate Universe is Cooper’s third outing with the Stargate franchise, having previously been one of the writers and directors, as well as executive producer, on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, and a co-creator alongside Brad Wright of Atlantis and Universe. Even with all that combined experience, though, getting this latest dramatically different installment of the franchise off the ground was just as difficult as launching any new TV series.

With Universe being given the go-ahead, Cooper and Wright began penning its pilot episode, Air. What started out as a two-hour episode eventually became a three-hour adventure, and the show’s direction took a slightly different turn even before going in front of the cameras.

“Writing the first episode of anything is always a struggle because you’re trying very hard to come up with something that introduces your characters to the world,” explains Cooper. “It’s very easy, though, to get pilot-oriented and write something that is overly focused on the introduction. For us, what made the pilot work was its actual structure where we tell two stories that are inter-cut, one story being the present situation of the team appearing on the Destiny, and then the other story of how they got there, which is told in flashbacks. I think that helped propel us forward with regard to how we wrote the pilot.

“As far as the filming of Air, we’d talked a lot about the style of the show and what we wanted to try to do. To then actually see it happen and come to life was great. There is a certain magic that comes out of this specific type of filming, which is documentary style and having the cameras sort of hang back and just try to capture the action that’s happening on the stage. It’s much more like watching a play unfold. Right away it was clear that we were getting something we’d hoped for but weren’t sure was going to happen, which were stronger and more natural performances. That’s obviously a testament to the high quality of our cast.”

Read the full interview in issue 33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine - on newsstands now!

To subscribe to Stargate Magazine, CLICK HERE.

To receive Stargate Magazine exclusives, including sneak peeks, interviews, promotional offers, and sweepstakes, CLICK HERE.

]]> Staying Centered http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1988/index.html Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1988 Tim from Salem, OR asks:nbsp; What is the biggest challenge you face making this series? Brian J. Smith answers:  Staying true to what we've set out to do from day one, Tim - which is to make a great character drama about people trying to survive in the wilds of space. We have to let SGU be its own show and let it stand on its own two feet, which can be challenging when you're working off the established mythology of a fifteen year franchise! But I'm very proud of how we've stayed centered this year and how we have continued to not just do good work, but to grow from episode to episode.

]]> Favorite Boys http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1987/index.html Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1987 Drew from Tampa, FL asks:nbsp; What do you do to help get into character? Elyse Levesque answers:  I listen to the Smiths and my favorite boys, the Kings of Leon.

]]> Alien Race http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1986/index.html Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1986 Anna from Seattle asks:nbsp; If there were an alien race you could meet, which one would it be and why? David Blue answers:  In the real world? Whichever one is out there, wants to meet me, is friendly and wouldn't probe me.

]]> Brian J. Smith Interview - Stargate Magazine #33 http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2015/index.html Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:19:29 -0800 urn:Content-2015 An interview with Brian J Smith featured in issue #33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine. An interview with Brian J Smith featured in issue #33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine.

When Lt. Matthew Scott signed up for military service, he never imagined just how much it would one day change his life. People who do join may expect to serve their country, while some are following in the footsteps of family or friends, and others want to make a better life for themselves. Few expect to find themselves hurled across the galaxy with a random bunch of strangers, with little chance of returning to Earth.

While Scott faces his predicament head-on, Brian J. Smith—the actor who plays him on Stargate Universe—has his own challenges. “My character is fresh out of [military] training, so he’s very much by the book,” explains Smith. “Scott could probably tell you what the manual says and the procedure for handling a certain situation, but he’s actually now in a position where he is forced to experience the stress of being a leader in a really visceral way.”

Right off in the show’s pilot episode [Air], we see Scott starting to come into his own. He’s got a big military heart, and as we’re watching him grow, we’re also seeing him making mistakes and losing it, sometimes more than he should.

“Scott is a very emotional kid, and that’s not surprising considering his past. He lost both his parents in a car accident when he was very, very young, and the man who raised him, a preacher, drank himself to death when my character was around 16 years old. Scott then got a girl pregnant, so he had to face that aspect of himself, which was extremely disappointing and disturbing to him. The thing that saved him was the military. Instead of running away, turning to drugs or becoming a delinquent, he bucked up and decided to make something of himself.”  


Positive Support

Although he has only been working in the industry for a few years, Smith has been an actor long enough to know what makes such a career rewarding for him.

“It’s all about the people,” he says. “You hear terrible things about the stars of some TV shows and the terrors that they’ve put people through. I’ve never had to deal with that. I’ve had wonderful role models and people who have always set a great example, worked hard, were positive and supportive of their fellow actors.”

“I’ve found that once again with Stargate Universe. There could have been one of 10 other actors sitting here, but for whatever reason, the cards played out in my favor. It’s a miracle, so why not enjoy a miracle when you’ve got one, and I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy more than one so far. Believe me, I have no complaints. I’m one very happy guy.”

Read the full interview in issue 33 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine - on newsstands now!

To subscribe to Stargate Magazine, CLICK HERE.

To receive Stargate Magazine exclusives, including sneak peeks, interviews, promotional offers, and sweepstakes, CLICK HERE.

]]> Don’t Know About Rush http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1985/index.html Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1985 Jessi from Garden City, KS asks:nbsp; Who is your favorite character on the show other than yourself and why? Alaina Huffman answers:  I like Rush.  I think there is so much about him that we don't know... hope we have a few seasons to find out what he's really up to.  :)

]]> Win Convention Tickets! http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/2014/index.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:29:41 -0800 urn:Content-2014 Win 2 gold tickets to the official Stargate convention in Chicago! Win 2 gold tickets to the official Stargate convention in Chicago!

The official Stargate Magazine has a sensational prize up for grabs for one lucky winner - two gold tickets to the official Stargate convention on August 27-29, 2010 in Chicago, IL.

The soon to be sold out gold tickets entitle holders to a host of sensational perks, including complimentary in-person autographs with guests and exclusive access to the Saturday night party.


Guests will include: MICHAEL SHANKS (Dr. Daniel Jackson), JASON MOMOA (Ronon Dex), CHRISTOPHER HEYERDAHL (Todd the Wraith), ROBERT PICARDO (Richard Woosley), JOE FLANIGAN (Lt. Col. John Sheppard), DAVID HEWLETT (Dr. Rodney McKay), ANDEE FRIZZELL (Wraith Queen), with many more to be added...

To enter, CLICK HERE.

]]> Brooklyn Loft http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1984/index.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1984 Callum from Scotland asks:nbsp; If you could live anywhere in the Stargate Universe where would it be? Jamil Walker Smith answers:  I'd live in Brooklyn in a 3,000 sqft loft over looking the city right on the water.  Wait, does that count?

]]> The Big Kid http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1983/index.html Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1983 Jessi from Garden City, KS asks:nbsp; Who is your favorite character on the show other than yourself and why? Brian J. Smith answers:  I really get a kick out of Colonel Young. I love how "over it" this guy is while being a great leader at the same time. And Louie, being the very thoughtful actor that he is, always lets us see the raw nerves underneath the composure. It's a jarring experience to watch him perform on set, though, because Louie is this big kid - a real joker and it's often hard to keep a straight face during a take, especially if he's in a playful mood that day. I'm amazed at how quickly he can switch from his real persona into Colonel Young the minute the director calls "action!"

]]> Gear Up! http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1982/index.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1982 Nathaniel from England asks:nbsp; If you were able to control Destiny for the day in real life, what would you do and where would you go? Elyse Levesque answers:  So much of the ship remains unexplored. I think I would put together a team, gear up in suits and search the deepest parts of the ship that are unsafe due to depressurization. I mean, there's got to be a lido deck somewhere on board!

]]> Cheesy Time http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1981/index.html Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1981 Brett from Ashford asks:nbsp; What makes SGU so fun to be a part of? David Blue answers:  Cheesy time: The people. Amazingly hard-working and fun crew. Devoted and extremely talented cast. Passionate and creative writers/producers. Addicting and beautiful city. Some really rewarding (either funny or emotionally draining) acting moments to challenge myself with. Hmmm... am I forgetting anything? Oh yeah, and a lot of puppies to play with on set. Yeah. That'll do it.

]]> More Than Three? http://stargate.mgm.com/view/qa/1980/index.html Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:00:00 -0800 urn:Content-1980 Nathaniel from England asks:nbsp; If you were trapped on Destiny in real life, what luxury items would you want to have with you? Item limit of 3. Brian J. Smith answers:  Three? Only three??? Well, I'd want one of those deluxe coffee makers with a five year's supply of coffee and espresso. Rock Band would be a must - I think Eli and Scott would have some epic guitar battles. And a complete entertainment center - flat screen TV, surround sound, DVD player and a fully stocked library of all my favorite movies. I know that's technically more than three, but I consider the entertainment center ONE complete item with lots of different parts.

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